Rotary grate having fuel cutting means



Jan., W, 395 F. J. WEST ET AL ROTARY GRATE HAVING FUEL CUTTING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 1.8, 1946 h m JU QIT/%1 5 &494375 Jan. 17, 1950 F. WEST ET AL ROTARY GRATE HAVING FUEL CUTTING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, .1946

Jan. 17, 1950 F. J. WEST ET AL %4941 975 ROTARY GRATE HAVING FUEI.. CUTTING MEANS Filed Feb. 18, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 17, 1950 ROTARY GRATE HAVING FUEL CUTTING MEANS Frederick Joseph West and Ernest West, Manchester, England; assignors to West's Gas Improvement Company Limited, Manchester, England, a British company Application February 18, 1946, Serial No. 648,51 In Great Britain January 4, 1945 Section' 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires January 4, 1965 This invention relates to gas producers and has for its object to provide 'an improved constructon and arrangement of producer grate which enhances the efficiency of the apparatus.

Our invention consists in a gas producer having its grate in the form of a perforated helix having a rotatable cylindrical casing, and a grate supported within the casing and conssting of a perforated plate in the form of a portion of a helix terminated by radial edges disposed one above the other in spaced relation.

Our invention further comprises the provision of a grate removably supported within the casing and consisting of a. perforated plate in the form of a heliX of substantially one convolution, terminated by radial edges disposed one above the other in spaced relation, the upper radial edge being sharpened to form a cuttirg edge and being ormed on a detachable portion of the plate.

Our invention also comprises further features herenater described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying explanatory drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Figure 2 a sectional plan on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing a gas producer with its grate constructed in one convenient form in accordance with this invention.

Figure 3 is a plan View, Figure 4 an elevation of a modified Construction of grate and Figure 5 a plan View of one half of a cylndrical casing and Figure 6 a sectional elevation on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 showing a modified construction of cylindrical casing adapted to receive the grate of Figures 3 and 4.

In Figures 1 and 2 the producer grate is in the form of a perforated plate a in the form of a portion of a helix of substantially one convolution terminated by radial edges disposed one above the other in spaced relation with apertures b therethrough for the passage of air for the partial combustion of the fuel thereon. The grate is mounted in a cylindrical casing c having an annula' water trough d at its upper end which forms a seal with the depending ring e upon the bottom f of the producer casing. The casing c is supported upon rollers g, Figure l, and is restrained laterally by further rollers h (see Figure 2). It is revolved by a worm i upon a shaft 7' which meshes with worm wheel teeth at Ic on the exterior of the casing c. The shaft 7' has a ratchet wheel m thereon which is turned by a pawl n on an arm o oscillated by an excentric at p. The upper radial edge q of the helix is shaped as a cutting edge. The underside of the helix has jawlike 6 Clams. (CI. 126-182) clips r thereon which engage luglike projections t on the interior of the casing c. The centre u of the base of the spiral a rests upon a cruciform member v extending from side to side of the cy1- indrical casing. It will be seen that the grate a is supported and revolved by the casing c and can be removed from such casing when it is withdrawn from beneath the producer by turning the grate relatively to the casing c, so that the clips r pass off the lugs t, and lifting it out thereof.

The refractory lining w of the producer immediately above the rate a is surrounded by a coil or coils of tubes through which cooling water is circulated and around such coil or coils is arranged an air jacket y through which air for combustion in the producer is passed. The hot air is passed b the pipe z to beneath the grate. Alternatively a water jacket may be used with or without the air jacket y.

The gas off-take 5 from the producer is Situated beneath an arch 'I (having a conical top in section) extending across the producer beneath the charging opening 8.

The gas producer has the usual poking apertures 9 in its rccf and is enlarged at the part where the gas off-take arch 1 is Situated.

In the modified Construction of grate shown in Figures 3-6, there are gaps ID in the perpheral edge of the grate and there is a support surface l I on the underside of the grate adjacent to each gap ll). The upper radial edge of the grate is sharpened to form a cutting edge, and is formed on a portion z which constitutes approximately one quarter of the plate and is detachable and renewable. On the interior surface of the cylindrical casing |3 are a number of stepped lugs, that is an upper lug M and a lower lug 15 connected by a riser 16. The arrangement is such that if the grate is inserted in the cylindrical casing from below, the gaps ID can be passed over the lower lugs !5, after which the grate is given a small turn to bring the gaps Il! beneath the upper lugs 14 to prevent ash falling through the gaps and the support surfaces l l on the grate r upon the lower lugs IE. One edge of each gap !0 engages a riser |6 which limits the turning of the grate and also provides for the driving of the grate by the casing during the operation of the producer. l'l indicates the liquid scaling trough and 18 the rollers which restrain the casing !3 laterally as it is being revolved.

What we claim is:

1. In a gas producer, a rotatable cylindrical casing, and a grate supported within the casing and consisting of a perforated plate in the form 3 4 of a, portion of a heix terminated by radial edges one above the other in spaced relation, and lugs disposed one above the other in spaced relation. in the casing for removably supporting the pe- 2. In ag szproduoer, a rotatable '-cylir'drcal ripherypf the grate within theecasing.. casing, and a grate removably "supported withn 6:' In a gas producer' a rotatablewylihdrical the casing and consisting of a perforated plate 5 casing, a grate consisting of a perforated plate in the form of a helx of substantially one con-e I bounded by a helicai curve at its perphery and volution, terminated by radial edgesdisposed one. i by twoiradial edges disposed one above the other above the other in spaced relation. inwspaced `relation and extending from the pe- 3. In a gas producer, a rotatable cylindricai riphery to the centre part of the grate, and means casing, and a grate removably supported within'.le fot:removablwsupporting the grate within the the casing and consisting of aperforated plate 'casngr in the form of a helix of substantaliy onecon- FREDERICK JOSEPH WEST. volution, terminated by radial edges disposed one ERNEST WEST.

above the other in spacedrelation theg-uppers.

radial edge being sharpened to foma cutting 15:31' REFERENCES CITED edge' The,followingreferences are of record in the 4. In a gas producer, a rotatable. cylindric'al* fileyof misatentz casing, and a grate removabiy supported'within the casing and consisting of a perforated plate UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS in the form of a helix of substantially one con- 20 Number Name Date volution; terminated by radial: edgesdisposed 336 s I Ju1y24 1888 one above the other in spaced-relatiomthenupper. 3 3 'fl: Z l f 1391 radial .edgebeing` sharpenedto form acutting Stackhousef" 51 edge and being .formednon-adetachable portion 7 1 7 Tait *1913) of Plate- 25 1231505: Steiger: ,Dec.,10, 1918 5. In a. gas producer; arotatable cylndrcal June casing, a grate consisting. of a perforated plate 2 Deringerz" 13810145'` 1938 in-thefor-m of aihelix of substantially one. con- 2228913117 {71115141 1942 volution; termnatedbymadial edges wdisposed. 

